Awaab's Law deadlines: the 24-hour, 10-day and 5-day timeframes
All facts re-verified against sources on 2026-10-14
These are the maximum statutory timeframes in the regulations (the statutory instruments require them; the non-statutory guidance explains implementation). Landlords can and should move faster — the guidance says so explicitly. 1 Working days mean normal working days as defined in the regulations, excluding weekends and bank holidays.
The full deadline table (social rented sector, from 27 October 2025)
| Trigger | Landlord's duty | Statutory limit |
|---|---|---|
| Potential EMERGENCY hazard reported / landlord becomes aware | Investigate, and if confirmed, make the property safe (relevant safety work) | Within 24 hours of becoming aware (both investigation and work) 1 |
| Potential SIGNIFICANT hazard reported / landlord becomes aware ("Day Zero") | Carry out an investigation by a competent investigator | Within 10 working days of becoming aware 1 |
| Investigation concludes (significant hazard confirmed) | Provide a written summary of the investigation and findings to the tenant | Within 3 working days of the conclusion of the investigation (not required if the hazard is fully resolved within those 3 working days) 1 |
| Investigation confirms a significant hazard | Complete relevant safety work to make the property safe | Within 5 working days of the investigation concluding 1 |
| Significant or emergency hazard confirmed — supplementary preventative work (stop it recurring) | Begin, or take steps to begin, supplementary preventative work | Within 5 working days of the investigation concluding; if that is not possible, as soon as possible and physically started within 12 weeks 1 |
| Supplementary preventative work under way | Satisfactorily complete the preventative works | Within a reasonable time period (not fixed by the regulations) 1 |
| Relevant safety work cannot be completed within the timeframes | Offer suitable alternative accommodation for the household | For the duration, at the landlord's expense 1 |
| Throughout the process | Keep the tenant updated and provide information on how to keep safe | Ongoing duty ("must secure" per the regulations) 1 |
Worked example: significant damp & mould, ordinary case
| Day | Event |
|---|---|
| Day 0 (Mon 3 Nov) | Tenant reports black mould spreading across a bedroom wall via the online portal. Clock starts. |
| By day 10 (Fri 14 Nov) | Competent investigator inspects, identifies cold bridge + inadequate ventilation as cause. |
| By 3 working days later (Wed 19 Nov) | Written summary of findings lands with the tenant. |
| By 5 working days after inspection (around 21 Nov) | Relevant safety work done — mould treated, room made safe. |
| By 5 working days after inspection | Ventilation install booked (preventative works 'steps begun'); physical start no later than 12 weeks after investigation ends. |
| Reasonable period after that | Preventative work (new MEV + insulation) satisfactorily completed. |
| Any time if safety work slips | If the home can't be made safe inside the 5 working days, the landlord must fund suitable alternative accommodation until it can. |
When the clock starts — and what can stop it
- Where a third party (adviser, solicitor, friend, neighbour) reports a hazard, the clock starts when the landlord is notified, not when the third party became aware. 1
- The regulations imply a tenant covenant allowing the landlord to enter to comply — at reasonable times, with at least 24 hours' written notice. 1
- Landlords have a statutory defence if they took all reasonable steps to comply (section 10A(5) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985) — e.g. where the tenant repeatedly cannot provide access despite reasonable efforts. 1
- Environmental monitoring risk alerts alone do not amount to the landlord 'being aware' of a hazard — a projected risk is not the actual presence of damp and mould — but consistent readings should prompt investigation. 1
For the tenant's side of that trade: the regulations imply a covenant letting the landlord in at reasonable hours with 24 hours' written notice. Unreasonably refusing access is the classic way a case gets derailed — log every access offer you make, in writing. The free evidence pack has a tracker for exactly this.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Awaab's Law: Guidance for social landlords (timeframes for repairs in the social rented sector) (fetched and verified on our side 2026-10-14)
- Legislation.gov.uk — The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1042) (fetched and verified on our side 2026-10-14)
- GOV.UK — Consultation: Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and to licences (fetched and verified on our side 2026-10-14)
- Legislation.gov.uk — Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 60 (Remedying of hazards occurring in dwelling-houses in England) (fetched and verified on our side 2026-10-14)
- Housing Ombudsman Service — Awaab's Law learning resources (fetched and verified on our side 2026-10-14)
- Shelter England — Hazards in social housing (legal guide) (fetched and verified on our side 2026-10-14)
- GOV.UK Housing Hub (campaign) — Awaab's Law: what the new law means (fetched and verified on our side 2026-10-14)